Cnc President Wins Faint Praise

Criticism Heaped On Santoro In Employee Survey

April 06, 1991

NEWPORT NEWS — More than half of the faculty and staff responding to a confidential Faculty Senate survey said they believe President Anthony R. Santoro has played an important role in gaining legislative and community support for Christopher Newport College. But 69 of the 110 people who answered the survey disagreed when asked if Santoro was doing a good job as the college's chief administrator.

The 56-page report, a copy of which was sent anonymously this week to the Daily Press, contains responses to a six-question survey circulated to 350 members of the CNC faculty and staff in December. The Faculty Senate distributed copies of the report to Santoro and the Board of Visitors last month but has refused to make the report public.

Fewer than half the faculty and about one-third of the college's staff responded to the survey.

The survey grew out of criticism of Santoro's decision last fall to switch some faculty and administrative positions from employment contracts to less-binding ``appointments.'' Questions were also raised about Santoro's management style at a campus-wide town meeting and a mass faculty meeting, both held on Nov. 30.

The survey focused on Santoro's accessibility, his effectiveness in the community and his leadership style. Those who answered were not identified by name or position.

In response to the question, ``All in all, President Santoro is doing a good job as the chief administrative officer of this college,'' 41 of the 110 respondents said they strongly disagreed, 28 said they disagreed and 19 were undecided. Sixteen people agreed and three strongly agreed. Three people returned the survey with no response.

Santoro declined to discuss the report when reached by telephone in Washington, D.C., Thursday, where he was attending a meeting. ``You can talk to the board about that,'' he said.

Of those who returned the survey, 30 credited Santoro with having skill in dealing with local business leaders, legislators and benefactors. Several noted that since his arrival at CNC in 1987, Santoro has successfully lobbied for CNC's first master's program, and gotten the go-ahead to acquire Ferguson High School and build the college's first dormitory.

More than 25 people said morale was low on campus and blamed Santoro. In 50 responses his management style was characterized by such words as vindictive, autocratic, dictatorial or intimidating. More than 30 people said Santoro had a quick temper and was confrontational in public.

A letter from Faculty Senate President Wes Pendergrass that accompanied copies of the report did not seek any specific action by the board, except to keep the report confidential.

The Board of Visitors' executive committee voted last week to send the report to its academic affairs committee. Whether the board responds to the report depends on the committee, CNC Rector Erwin B. Drucker said last week.